Module 6: Time to Pray by Maha Addasi

BOOK COVER IMAGE:

BOOK SUMMARY: 

Time to Pray follows Yasmin on a journey to visit her grandmother in the middle east.  Yasmin is curious about her grandma's prayer habits and is so intrigued that she attempts to mimic the same behavior but has difficulty adapting.  Grandma is patient with the child and helps her by making Yasmin special clothes needed for prayer, through the purchase of a mat for the kneeling and even setting a clock that reminds Yasmin when to pray.  Since the Muslim religion requires prayer 4 times throughout the day, Yasmin depends on this support as she adjusts to the regularity of prayer.  She is successful and as she returns to the Untied States, tries to hold in all the wonderful things she will miss such as the food, the smells, the call to prayer and most of all, her grandmother.          

APA REFERENCE OF BOOK: 

Addasi, M., (2010).  Time to pray. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press.

IMPRESSIONS: 

This is a well-written book that presents the aspects of the Muslim community in a simple and delicate matter.  Looking at the Muslim faith through the young girl's perspective allows the reader to understand the same way a child would understand.  I think it is clever to have the Grandmother simply teaching her granddaughter about the ways of her faith by slowly introducing the clothing, the mat and the clock.  It is similar to the way a parent would prepare a child for learning a new custom, making the story all the more believable.  Written in both English and Arabic, let's readers truly delve into the entire culture.  Addasi even includes a glossary and additional information that answers questions a child or even adult may ask regarding the religion or culture, which is extremely helpful to the learner.  The images add to the atmosphere of the story with it's shades of pink and orange hues, mimicking the scenery of a dessert, which is the location of the Middle East.  A wonderful book all around.                        

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW: 

"Maha Addasi's Time to Pray is a beautifully illustrated, contemporary fiction picture book that tells the story of Yasmin, a young girl who is visiting her grandmother somehwere in the Middle East...Translated into arabic beneath and beside the English text, Time to Pray give children an insightful glimpse into an intergenerational relationship between a Muslim child and her grandmother.  Child will identify with Yasmin in many respects; many of the things Yasmin does with her grandmother are ordinary--making cinnamon rolls, shopping, eating rice for lunch, etc. Yasmin's introduction to the Muslim prayer traditions is gradual we learn about the custom with the character.  The book ends with more detailed explanation of the prayer times and rituals.  The specific content of the prayers is not addressed.  The more children know and understand cultures and faiths different from their own, the better they can understand and work well with people of all types of faiths and customs.  Recommended for children in grades 1-4.  Ages 7-10." - Kristine Wildner

Reference

Widner, K., (2011).  Time to Pray [Review of the 
       book Time to Pray, by Maha Addasi]. Catholic Library World, 82(1), 73-74.  

LIBRARY USES: 

This book can be used to demonstrate the differences among religions or cultures across the glove.  While it is probably better suited for older students such as middle school, it can definitely be used as lesson with elementary students as a way to highlight differences and similarities among groups of people.